Deciding to go to college in New York City is a REALLY big deal, because not only are you moving away from home, but you’re also moving to one of the biggest, most exciting, and most intimidating cities in the world. In my opinion, deciding to move to the big city at 18 says a lot about a person’s character, but for those of us who have been here for a while now, we know that our preconceptions of city life definitely don’t always match up with what the reality is.
Although I can’t say I’m a “true” New Yorker yet (street cred claims you have to live here for at least 10 years to say so), I’ve gained a few pieces of wisdom on what city living entails, and while it can be both magical and intense, I think I speak for everyone who has spent some time here when I say it’s always a learning experience.
Expensive
Remember when you thought that living in Manhattan meant getting Insta-worthy brunches and shopping in SoHo every weekend? LOL. I don’t remember the last time I did either of those things, and I really don’t think any of us actually knew what we were getting ourselves (or our wallets) into when we moved here. Living in New York, not just Manhattan, really does cost an incredible amount of money. Although you should be getting paid more than your friends elsewhere to account for this cost of living, it doesn’t make it any less painful.
Routine
Honestly, living in New York isn’t THAT different from living everywhere else, because you still develop a routine that can become mundane if you don’t switch it up. I used to think that I would be doing incredibly exciting things on a weekly basis, but honestly, I don’t have time (or energy) to take the subway to all the hotspots in the city on a weekly basis. These attractions are amazing when we can experience them, but they’re usually reserved for a once-a-month occasion, just like doing really exciting things anywhere else might be.
Exhausting
Between walking miles every day, getting shoved by crowds while you’re just trying to cross the street, and standing on insanely hot subway platforms while carrying a backpack full of textbooks, there’s nothing glamorous about the everyday life of a city gal. The city’s hustle alongside the natural struggles of being a college student make for a pretty crazy combination, and it can often feel like too much for one person.
Spontaneous
Although the aforementioned have been somewhat on the negative side, this is a plus that I have not seen in any other city. The spontaneity of living in New York is completely unparalleled, with events and opportunities coming up literally out of thin air. To top it off, there will always be people who suddenly come to visit or invite you to unexpected outings, meaning that you’ll pretty much never be bored if you don’t want to be.
Small
This might seem like a contradiction when in regard to one of the biggest cities in the world, but I think most New Yorkers will agree that the city really does feel interconnected in every sense. You can get from the furthest end of the Bronx to the depths of Brooklyn and all through Manhattan in just a couple of subway lines, or even use a CitiBike or the Staten Island Ferry to go further still. The entire city is always accessible, making it feel tiny amongst the hustle and bustle.
Individualized
I’ve tried to explain this to my friends who don’t live in the city, but I’ve never found the right words for just how individualized living in the city is. There is no ‘prescribed’ routine, path, or career that you need to follow in order to fit in here. Literally EVERYTHING counts, and nobody will judge you for the New York experience that you have. What we love about living here is the myriad of stories, and we all acknowledge that there’s no such thing as a ‘typical’ New York life.
[Feature Image by Pexels]